Recently classed as RECOVERED from Anorexia, Izee shares her advice + lived experience with mental illness in our open & vulnerable chat. We covered these topics...

1. What does 'fully recovered' mean? + Izee’s checklist for being recovered.
2. Social media & receiving hate online.
3. How to accept SH scars & deal with comments from other people.
4. Advice for friends & family of those struggling.
5. Can it be triggering/ invalidating to be classed as 'recovered'?
6. Helpful treatment professionals vs traumatic experience with treatment.
7. Meal plans- when do they become too restrictive?
8. Navigating ED recovery with Depression & PTSD (&insomnia)
9. Is recovery a privilege? Understanding different circumstances.

About Izee:

Izee shares her lived experience with mental illness on her Instagram platform to spread awareness, fight stigma, and provide a safe space for others online. She posts uplifting content about body acceptance and self care, while also being open about the realities of depression, complex PTSD, Self-Harm, and EDs.

I invited Izee onto the podcast because I believe her content is a rare example of a positive (but realistic) influence in the recovery community online. Thank you again to Izee for joining me!

• Instagram: @izeeblooms
• links: linktr.ee/Izeeblooms

Here is a link to the SH information resource mentioned in the episode:

https://toolkit.lifeline.org.au/topics/self-harm/what-is-self-harm

Thank you for listening!

Links:

• Etsy shop: RealRecoveryUK
• Website: www.realrecovery.co.uk
• Instagram: @realrecoveryuk
• Podcast Instagram: @realrecoverypodcast

Neuroscience explained + tips for coping with body changes... Today's episode is an interesting one! If you experience strong feelings of disgust (among other negative emotions) when weight-restoring in anorexia recovery, you are not alone!

There is nothing wrong with your body- hopefully the episode can point that out by highlighting the biological mechanisms of how body-image & disgust can relate.

Overview :

• Tip 1: Focus on self-care, hygiene, and other aspects of your appearance.
• Neuroscience: interoception, body mapping, fear response, & the power of time.
• Tip 2: Decrease disgust by changing the mental image of your body.
• Tip 3: Use thought- blocking to prevent negative spirals.

Thank you for listening!

LINKS:

• Etsy shop: RealRecoveryUK
• Website: www.realrecovery.co.uk
• Instagram: @realrecoveryuk
• Podcast Instagram: @realrecoverypodcast
• Substack: recent article (anxiety tools & research)

We covered some of the most DIFFICULT parts of eating disorder recovery (see below)… Victoria recovered from 20+ years of EDs & body-hate. She now coaches other people to fully heal (no quasi recovery bs).

Hearing her speak will give you valuable guidance, practical tips, and a view into the world of confidence, self-love, and true food freedom.

Topics we covered (in order):

• How to start recovery?
• How to cope with feeling a loss of CONTROL?
• Recovery & different personalities- can you recover slower?
• How to go from self- HATE to self- ACCEPTANCE?
• Healing with humour.
• How to make positive affirmations work?
• Extreme hunger & rapid weight gain.
• Red flags for recovery coaches & treatment + advice
• Overshoot
• Fully committing to weight gain without micro-restriction
• Coping with old photos / thinner body.
• Can you lose weight after recovery?
• Mirror work exercise.

For more support from Victoria…

• Check out her podcast: ‘The Body Love Binge’
• Coaching: https://victoriakleinsman.com/work-with-me/
• Website: https://victoriakleinsman.com/

Victoria's Contact/ Socials:

• instagram
• email : victoria@victoriakleinsman.com

Thank you so much for listening!

Links:

• Etsy shop: RealRecoveryUK

• Website: www.realrecovery.co.uk
• Instagram: @realrecoveryuk
• Podcast Instagram: @realrecoverypodcast
• Substack: recent article (anxiety tools & research)

How to handle routine changes, overwhelm, hot weather, unpredictability…

Overview:

• Intro
• Coping with HEAT (& the effect it may have on body image due to discomfort & swelling)
• Coping with ROUTINE CHANGES (tips for planning)
• How to use be okay when THINGS GO WRONG and use unpredictability as a moment of growth.
• Putting your needs first & maximising COMFORT
• Outro

Eating disorders can increase rigid thinking, anxiety, overwhelm. They can make us less able to tolerate discomfort and all the chaos that can come with travel.

People with Anorexia are also more likely to have co-occurring conditions such as OCD, Autism, and Anxiety Disorders. This can add to the overall stress of travel and may mean you need extra planning & reassurance. So I hope this episode provides that!

Don’t forget to check out parts 1 & 2 of this summer mini-series!

Links:

• Etsy shop: RealRecoveryUK
• Website: www.realrecovery.co.uk
• Instagram: @realrecoveryuk
• Podcast Instagram: @realrecoverypodcast
• Substack: recent article (anxiety tools & research)

Pressure to diet, look good in photos, have a buzzing social life… How to deal with triggers, access relief & self- compassion, and overcome insecurities this summer.

Overview:

• Intro
• DIET CULTURE.. . (how to not be triggered when people around you are trying to lose weight)
• FOOD RESTRICTION (why some people can restrict & why YOU shouldn’t)
• SOCIAL MEDIA (everyone is ‘living their best life!!!’)
• FOMO- 2 ways to handle this… (self compassion + allowing rest) + (challenging your anxiety)
• PHOTOS (the pressure to take pictures with friends/ family *but you’re insecure*…)
• Outro

Don’t forget to check out parts 1 & 3 of this summer mini-series!

Links:

• Etsy shop: RealRecoveryUK
• Website: www.realrecovery.co.uk
• Instagram: @realrecoveryuk
• Podcast Instagram: @realrecoverypodcast
• Substack: recent article (anxiety tools & research)

Practical advice for coping with body-image this summer (including a journaling exercise walk-through!) Overview:

• Intro
• Body exposure work
• Preparation/ planning to maximise comfort
• Journaling exercise walk-through
• Comparison
• Bloating
• Viewing your body as an organism vs an object
• Outro

Don’t forget to check out parts 2 & 3 of this summer mini-series!

Links:

• Etsy shop: RealRecoveryUK
• Website: www.realrecovery.co.uk
• Instagram: @realrecoveryuk
• Podcast Instagram: @realrecoverypodcast
• Substack: recent article (anxiety tools & research)